Office Space 178 is our new serviced office project in Phnom Penh’s busy riverside area. Our goal was to transform the existing structure into an office space of choice, bringing together small and medium-sized businesses to form a dynamic, diverse and collaborative community of workers. Here, private offices and meeting rooms combine with flexible open spaces that can be used for individual work, networking as well as larger events. We took inspiration from the New Khmer Architecture style from the 60s to create a friendly and attractive working environment from the exterior to the interior. Brick cladding was commonly used as a finishing material to decorate external facades – used in black, in this case, would also make the building resistant to dirt and keep it looking fresh and clean. An overhang is traditionally used as a shading device and to protect against rain, while a wall made from semi-transparent glass blocks means therapeutic natural light pours into the indoor space while keeping a sense of privacy.